BY ROYAL M. HOPPER III
Times Correspondent
CROWN POINT | Having the right vision is more important than fancy cameras in capturing the beauty and character of a city like Crown Point, photographer Bill Eaton says.

The combination of hundreds of disposable cameras and willing amateur photographers will not only be adequate to promote the city's Character Initiative -- it could work magic.

"It isn't the equipment. It is the eye and the heart that counts," Eaton said as he addressed a group of residents taking part in a workshop to help them learn what to look for when taking candid pictures portraying one of the traits of the Crown Point Character initiative.

Eaton's direction to onlookers was part of an initiative launched by the city in Sunday and Monday workshops, in which disposable cameras were distributed to volunteers. The city is asking those volunteers to document a week in the life of the city.

Eaton, a veteran wedding photographer, urged the group to not be bashful in their undertaking, getting close to their subjects in order to fill up the frames of their cameras. At a recent wedding he worked, Eaton said a 10-year-old boy took the best pictures of anyone, including the professionals.

"If it gives you a little thump here," he said placing his hand over his heart, "then take the picture."

The workshops were in the Marian Education Center at St. Anthony Medical Center. Participants received packets including disposable cameras and paperwork to document one of the 12 character traits highlighted in the program.

"Get your little brother the one time he takes the trash out without being told," said Rose Kendall, co-director of the photographic initiative.

In attendance at Sunday's workshop, 9-year-old Celine Certa had a hard time imagining her 7-year-old brother Chris bothering to take out the garbage.

Chris said he could take pictures of familiar things for his photo essay on the city.

"My friends and family," Chris said, as his sister showed him how the 27-exposure disposable cameras operated.

Kara Dokupil, of Hebron, works in Crown Point and plans on moving there in the near future. The Purdue University Calumet graduate brings an artist's eye to the project and said she plans to take pictures of the city's unique architecture.

"There is a spiral staircase in an alley," she said, explaining that everybody takes pictures of other people. She wants to capture the architectural character of Crown Point.

When all 27 shots are taken -- or after about a week -- each participant can take the cameras to the library or mayor's office for processing. The pictures eventually will be put on the city's Web site and possibly made into a book. The photos also will be posted at various spots in the city as part of the program, Mayor Dan Klein said.

"We are looking for people caught in the act (of doing the right thing)," Klein said.

This story ran on nwitimes.com on Tuesday, November 14, 2006 12:43 AM CST